10 great-tasting low-sodium recipes

broiled sardines with fennel and olives

Serves 8 / Serving tips: This Mediterranean classic makes a marvelous appetizer on crostini or any toasted bread. Or toss with cooked linguini and top with shredded Asiago cheese for a fast entrée — not your ordinary dinner. View recipe.

pineapple chicken salad

Black bean, corn, and quinoa salad

Serves 8 / Pack with: whole-grain crackers or breadsticks. Drink: flavored sparkling water. Prep tip: Easy to modify; just add any crisp vegetables you have on hand (zucchini and fresh chilies are good). Serving tip: This is also nice for a light dinner, mounded on a bed of mixed greens. View recipe.

moroccan three-grain salad with flaxseed-walnut dressing

Serves 6-8 / Colorful accents of carrots, zucchini, red onion, and fresh parsley add eye appeal to this delightful combination of whole grains, topped with a tasty omega-3-rich dressing. Test kitchen tip: If you have a toaster oven, it's an easy way to roast nuts. Spread pieces on foil and set toaster to low. View recipe.

maple-pecan quinoa

Serves 1 / Quinoa contains 11 protein grams per half-cup—up to 50 percent more than other grains—and supplies all of the essential amino acids. Its complex carbohydrates also give you an energy boost to start your day. Plus, it’s a snap to make—especially if you opt for quinoa flakes, which cook in 90 seconds. View recipe.

carrot breakfast muffins

Serves 12 / Pack with: a small tub of yogurt. Drink: orange juice. Storage tip: These keep well in the freezer. View recipe.

buttermilk panna cotta with macerated berries

pear and persimmon galette

Serves 8 / This lovely and surprisingly easy dessert celebrates these fall fruits' prime season. Prep tip: A Japanese mandolin makes for easy slicing, but a sharp knife will work too. When you reach the pears' core, remove with a melon baller. View recipe.

Carrot, lemon, and wheatgrass juice

Serves 2 / You’ll love how you feel after downing this vitamin-C-rich drink. Ingredient tip: Look for wheatgrass juice in the freezer section of a natural food store; it’s generally sold in 12-packs of 1-ounce shots. View recipe.

Goat Cheese Blackberry Tart

Serves 12 / Developed by James Rouse, ND, the contributor of monthly recipes that appear in our Update section, this healthy dessert was described as “outrageous” and “absolutely to die for” after it appeared in July 2004. The wheat-free, almond meal and date crust is a treat (look for almond meal in the baking section of your grocery store), and each slice is loaded with fiber and antioxidants—so don’t feel guilty when you indulge. View recipe.